Managers sacked in new purge at airport

Leadership wrangles at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) are once again in the limelight, with the sacking of two top managers.

The Business Daily has also learnt that over 10 officials have been sacked in the past three months, with eight currently on suspension.

Although Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) managing director Johnny Andersen says the sackings and suspensions are normal, the purge has created anxiety at the parastatal.

“When people are not doing what they are supposed to do, they can be sacked or suspended as a correction measure is sought; this is a normal disciplinary act,” said Mr Andersen, who declined to disclose the exact number.

Legal battles

The KAA board sacked Mr Yatich Kangugo as airport manager of Moi International Airport, Mombasa, in what has already attracted legal battles that have seen Mr Kangugo, a former acting managing director of the authority, deployed to the headquarters in an unspecified position to avoid contempt of court charges.

The management recalled him last week to “oversee” an ongoing project after the High Court ordered his reinstatement, a move that is likely to put the management and the board on a collision course.

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The Sunday Nation learnt that KAA is appealing against the ruling of Judge Hellen Wasilwa.

“The KAA legal counsel says the judge erred in issuing such orders without hearing the position of the authority. As such, the authority will appeal the decision by the court to lift Mr Kangugo’s suspension as airport manager of Moi International Airport,” says KAA.

According to Mr Andersen, Mr Yatich has a wealth of experience in airport matters and he will be useful in the ongoing transformation of the airport.

“He reported on Thursday and there is an ongoing project that we want him to handle,” he said.

It is not clear how long Mr Kangugo’s new assignment will last, given that his case will be heard on June 22.

Other senior officials sacked include airport and security managers at Wilson Airport, Nairobi.

The airport manager at JKIA, Mr Richard Ngovi, is said to have been sent on early retirement. But he told the Business Daily that he was on normal leave, although someone else has been appointed to the position in an acting capacity.

Last year, the government terminated the tenure of former chairman David Kimaiyo under unclear circumstances. Mr Kimaiyo later claimed that his sacking was related to his fight against corruption.